By Lamin Kujabi
The Government of The Gambia is constructing a 1500-bed capacity hospital at Farato in the West Coast Region. Since the laying of the foundation stone by His Excellency President Adama Barrow on Thursday, 2nd December 2021, there has been good progress in the construction of the country’s would-be biggest medical facility.
The Indian construction company Shapoorji Pallonji is the same company that is constructing University of The Gambia campus in Faraba Banta.
The hospital will have many facilities including MRI test equipment; C I scan machine, mutual building, and blood transmission centre. The hospital will also have an 84-bed National Observation Centre, 20-bed National Emergency Treatment Centre; a 94-capacity conference centre, a National Public Health Laboratory, and National Blood Transfusion Centre.
The Gambia government contributed amount of 2 million US Dollar while World Bank contribute 22 million US Dollars.
This reporter was at the construction site in the Kombo South town and spoke to Mr. Ajit Kulkerni, project manager of Sharpoorji Pallonji Construction Company.
He informed that work actually began on 9th February 2022, and that they started erecting 6 buildings out of the total 10 buildings, which include the OBS wards one and two and three buildings with an IC entrance and IC wards one and two. He revealed that they have now almost completed all the works in that regard.
“We have started the first slab of OBS ward one and the second slab is in progress for OBS ward two. The ground floor work is in progress and all the other buildings and works are in progress. We will see what we can do in our next schedule to meet our target”.
Mr Ajit Kulkerni however said work might be a little affected by the rains. “We have already completed the foundation of the buildings and are doing the supporting pillars, so that by the time the rains come it will be left with plastering and roofing,” he stated.
He said they are expected to complete the work in within 16 months and they are trying to be on schedule and meet the target date for the completion of the hospital.
The project manager said they take some of their workers from University of The Gambia Faraba Banta campus but also hire some people here.
Mr Ajit Kulkerni thanked the government of The Gambia for awarding the contract to their company, and promised to complete work on time.
